31 January 2016 Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos

The Turks & Caicos, one of the relatively untouched corners of the Caribbean: eight main islands and more than 229 smaller ones—some barely large enough to pitch a beach umbrella.

The two groups—the Turks and the Caicos—sit just north of Hispaniola (home of Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and east of Cuba.

The population of about 31,500 live on eight main islands: in the Turks, the Caicos, and the mostly privately held outlying or boutique Islands.

The primary natural resources are in the water: spiny lobster, conch, and other shellfish. Not much grows on the land, except for tourist attractions.

It has a bit of history as a refuge for pirates and friends including Calico Jack, Anne Bonny, and Mary Read.

And later as refuge for astronauts–the waters offshore were used as the landing zone for many of the early American space launches.

Now, let’s pause for a moment and consider this pressing question: What in the world does a Caribbean island have to do with Turkey?

Not much, actually, except for one thing: amongst the relatively sparse vegetation in the islands is the slightly suggestive Melocactus intortus cactus.

It has a distinctive red cap, which at least to one long-forgotten visitor suggested a Turkish fez. Hence the name “Turks.”

Grand Turk has prospered in the last decade since a cruise dock was installed and mostly paid for by the mega-monster Carnival Corporation; that company also deigns to rent docking space to some other lines from time to time.

At the end of the quay is an air-conditioned shopping mall with all the usual suspects: liquor, jewelry, perfume, and t-shirts.

There is a large lagoon-like swimming pool; you can rent a private poolside cabana with waiter service. And the largest Margaritaville restaurant and bar in the Caribbean, part of the amazing global empire built around the American singer Jimmy Buffett.

There is, though, one very nice attraction right at the dock.

Go through the air-conditioned mall, enter into the shopping center, and head left or right to reach Governor’s Beach. It is one of the most convenient beaches at any cruise dock in the Caribbean…and it offers a fine view…of our ship.

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